SAT KRIYA

Sat Kriya is a complete practice in itself - it is an entire yoga class in one posture.  This practice of the sound sat nam in sat kriya (truth action) can assist in clearing negative emotional patterns, stimulate digestion, balance the hormones and build endurance. Humans hold all our emotions in the the lower triangle and centralised at the navel - where it is said the 72,000 nadis come to connect.  When we practice moving the mantra, breath and the pumping action a pressure is created to move the unresolved or congested energy located here and forces it to rise to be transmuted and released. The rhythmic contraction and relaxation produces waves of energy that circulate, energise, and heal the body.

Posture

1. Sit on the heels in Rock Pose, knees together.

2. Stretch the arms over the head with elbows straight, the arms hug the ears

3. Interlace all the fingers except the index (Jupiter) fingers. Cross the left thumb over the right to activate the feminine flow of energy or the right over the left to activate the masculine flow of energy.

4. The spine stays still and straight. This is neither a spinal flex nor a pelvic thrust.

5. Remain firmly seated on the heels throughout the motions of the kriya.

Locks & Mantra

1. Begin to chant Sat Naam with a constant rhythm of about 8 times per 10 seconds.

2. As you draw the navel in and up toward the spine, chant Sat from the Navel Point. Feel it as a pressure at the Third Chakra.

3. With the sound Naam, relax the belly.

4. As you continue in a steady rhythm, the root and diaphragm locks are automatically pulled. The steady waves of effort from the navel gradually enlist the movement of the greater abdomen. The breath regulates itself - no breath focus is necessary.

5. The focus of the sound Naam can be either at the Navel Point or at the Brow Point (the point where the eyebrows meet at the root of the nose; the area that corresponds to the Sixth Chakra).

6. The force is through the navel but the two locks come along sympathetically. This natural pull of the two locks creates a physiological balance. Blood pressure is maintained evenly.

Time Continue for 3 - 31 minutes.

To End

1. Inhale and gently squeeze the muscles from the buttocks all the way up along the spine.

2. Hold it briefly as you concentrate on the area just above the top of the head.

3. Exhale completely.

4. Inhale, exhale totally and hold the breath out as you apply a firm mahabandh - contract the lower pelvis, lift the diaphragm, lock in the chin, and squeeze all the muscles from the buttocks up to the neck.

5. Hold the breath out for 5 to 20 seconds according to your comfort and capacity.

6. Inhale and relax.

Relaxation If you practice this as a complete kriya in itself, the relaxation is twice the length of time as you practiced Sat Kriya. i.e. 3 minutes of practice relax for 6, 5 minutes of practice, relax for 10, 11 minutes of practice relax for 22 minutes etc.

Beginners Practice 3 minutes, then rest for two, then another three minutes and rest for four minutes.

BENEFITS OF SAT KRIYA

Your nervous system is strengthened by releasing stored energy & trauma, general physical health is improved because all the internal organs receive a gentle rhythmic massage from this exercise. The heart gets stronger from the rhythmic up-and-down of blood pressure you generate from the pumping motion of the Navel Point. Sexual phobias are addressed and insistent sexual energy becomes transmuted into constructive creative energy.

Deep relaxation after this kriya is a must and nearly as important as the initial effort. It activates the Parasympathetic Nervous System which allows the body's systems need time to regenerate and reconstitute themselves.